Species guide · Florida
King mackerel fishing in Florida
Scomberomorus cavalla, a pelagic species also called kingfish, king and smoker kingfish. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Peak season, about 21 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM at 73, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Peak seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
South Florida and the Keys
Peak season, about 21 more weeks- Jan: Peak season
- Feb: Peak season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Off season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Peak season
- Dec: Peak season
Peak: Nov to Mar. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to May.
Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region
Winter grounds for both the Gulf and Atlantic groups. Kings gather off the Keys and Southeast Florida from November through March.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Eastern Gulf
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May, Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Nov.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
Spring run passes Tampa Bay and the Big Bend in April-May on the way to the Panhandle; the fall run comes back south in October-November. Winter fish are mostly south of Naples.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
South Atlantic
Shoulder season, about 3 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Peak season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May, Sep to Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Nov.
Research notes, South Atlantic region
Spring fish reach Northeast Florida and Georgia in April-May; North Carolina beaches, piers and inlet mouths peak in late summer and fall. Winter fish hold near the shelf edge just inside the Gulf Stream (NCDMF).
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 31
Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's king mackerel score this hour.
Best window today 12-3 PM (73) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 6 PM (75) · 81 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (74) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (78)
Best window today 12-7 PM (74) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (78) · 6 named spots
Best window today 3-7 PM (73) · Best day Tue, Nov 10 at 7 AM (76) · 109 named spots
Best window today 12-8 PM (72) · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 8 AM (76) · 199 named spots
Best window today 12-10 PM (69) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (74) · 131 named spots
Best window today 12-9 PM (69) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (73) · 92 named spots
Best window today 3-7 PM (74) · Best day Thu, Nov 12 at 8 AM (78) · 82 named spots
Best window today 12-5 PM (70) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 9 AM (77) · 22 named spots
Best window today 2-7 PM (70) · Best day Fri, Nov 6 at 10 AM (74) · 24 named spots
Best window today 12-8 PM (69) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 4 PM (73) · 4 named spots
Best window today 1-8 PM (71) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (72) · 39 named spots
Best window today 5-10 PM (69) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (73) · 126 named spots
Best window today 5-10 PM (68) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (73) · 20 named spots
Best window today 3-7 PM (71) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (74) · 88 named spots
Best window today 1-5 PM (74) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (78)
Best window today 3-9 PM (68) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (72) · 195 named spots
Best window today 12-5 PM (68) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (73) · 49 named spots
Best window today 1-5 PM (64) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (70)
Best window today 4-7 PM (67) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 3 PM (68) · 23 named spots
Best window today 1-4 PM (60) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (69)
Best window today 2-10 PM (66) · Best day Fri, Nov 6 at 4 PM (71) · 21 named spots
Best window today 3-8 PM (63) · Best day Tue, Nov 10 at 6 AM (68) · 79 named spots
Best window today 3-6 PM (72) · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 8 AM (77) · 16 named spots
Best window today 1-6 PM (58) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 6 AM (67)
Best window today 11 AM-7 PM (60) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 4 PM (64) · 13 named spots
Best window today 4-9 PM (60) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 3 PM (69) · 46 named spots
Best window today 12-8 PM (57) · Best day Mon, Nov 16 at 6 PM (64) · 11 named spots
Best window today 1-5 PM (51) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (63)
Best window today 3-6 PM (52) · Best day Fri, Nov 6 at 6 AM (61)
Best window today 1-10 PM (44) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (52)
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 68°F to 86°F, best between 70°F and 81°F.
- Water depth
- 15 to 250 ft of water.
- Structure
- Reef, wreck, ledge, pier, inlet, open water and bank, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and moving water, with moderate current.Near the beach and at pier ends, kings bite best when moving water pushes clean green water and bait along the shoreline and inlet mouths. Offshore, bait and current edges matter more than tide stage.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
- Methods
- slow trolling, trolling, drifting live bait, pier fishing, casting
- Lures
- spoons, deep-diving plugs, skirted duster rigs with ribbonfish, jigs
- Bait
- live menhaden, blue runners, cigar minnows, Spanish sardines, ribbonfish, ballyhoo, threadfin herring
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Nov 3, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.
FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel · verified Sep 13, 2026
2 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.
FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel · verified Sep 13, 2026
3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
Hook and line and spearing only. FWC applies the Gulf king mackerel rules to all of Monroe County. Open year-round.
FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel · verified Sep 13, 2026
3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026
3 per day · Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
South of the Monroe and Miami-Dade county line these fish belong to the Gulf group, which has the same limits.
50 CFR part 622, subpart Q (coastal migratory pelagics) · verified Sep 13, 2026
Other Florida species
- Black sea bass
- Bluefish
- Bonefish
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Florida pompano
- Gag grouper
- Little tunny
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spanish mackerel
- Spotted seatrout
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Black drum
- Cobia
- Gray snapper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spot
- Striped bass
- Summer flounder
- Yellowfin tuna
- Mahi-mahi